FOI/19/02279 · FOI · partially withheld
Cromarty Community Development Trust funding withdrawal correspondence: FOI release
Information requested
You asked for:
Copies of all correspondence relating to a recent decision by VisitScotland to withdraw £200,000 that had been awarded from the Rural Tourism Infrastructure Fund (RTIF) to Cromarty Community Development Trust (CCDT). This should include all communications leading to the decision to withdraw the money, including e-mails, notes and memos. It should also include copies of any minutes taken at the meeting where the decision was made, and any notes of the discussion under the CCDT application. It should also include the names and positions of those on the panel that made this decision.
Response
I enclose a copy of the of the information you requested. The redacted material is either personal information or information which is not relevant to your enquiry.
I have also enclosed 2 letters from the Cabinet Secretary which were issued after your FOi request but which may be helpful. I can also confirm that Riddell Graham, Director of Industry and Destination Development at VisitScotland, wrote to the Highland Council, the applicant, on 22 October confirming that the RTIF Assessment Panel had agreed to an extension subject to certain conditions.
ANNEX REASONS FOR NOT PROVIDING INFORMATION An exemption applies
An exemption under section 38(1)(b) of FOISA (personal information) applies to a small amount of the information requested because it is personal data of a third party, ie email address and phone numbers, and disclosing it would contravene the data protection principles in Article 5(1) of the General Data Protection Regulation and in section 34(1) of the Data Protection Act 2018.
This exemption is not subject to the 'public interest test', so we are not required to consider if the public interest in disclosing the information outweighs the public interest in applying the exemption.
About FOI
The Scottish Government is committed to publishing all information released in response to Freedom of Information requests. View all FOI responses at http://www.gov.scot/foi-responses.
Detected exemption language
ANNEX REASONS FOR NOT PROVIDING INFORMATION An exemption applies An exemption under section 38(1)(b) of FOISA (personal information) applies to a small amount of the information requested because it is personal data of a third party, ie email address and phone numbers, and disclosing it would contravene the data protection principles in Article 5(1) of the General Data Protection Regulation and in section 34(1) of the Data Protection Act 2018. This exemption is not subject to the 'public interest test', so we are not required to consider if the public interest in disclosing the information outweighs the public interest in applying the exemption.